The Defiance Club is a movement. A motivation. A force to move things forward. It’s a laugh in the face of fear; a testament to true character. It’s a recognition of the everyday challenges we face and the power to overcome them. Because only in the defiance of our fears will we successfully grow beyond them.

My Goliath is a struggle inside my core.

On one hand, I’m ambitious, career-driven, and goal-oriented. On the other hand, I feel a strong calling for service to others. When you are on a path to fulfilling your own dreams, how do you find time to make it a priority to serve others? Furthermore, how can those two things exist and flourish simultaneously in our busy lives? When David&Goliath asked, “What is your biggest Goliath in life?” this was mine, and I knew I had to do something about it.

I approached the agency for help defeating my Goliath, and I got an outpouring of support.

During my planning process, it became clear that these two aspects of myself would have to coexist. No, I am not able to quit my job and join the Peace Corps. I have obligations and career goals I’m dedicated to accomplishing, so I had to figure out a way for service to meet me where I was.

My idea: Create a work wellness seminar for the agency.

The seminar would serve my peers by addressing some of the key stressors we experience in advertising. It would be a three-part series, and each talk would focus on healing methods we could all benefit from. The topics included Ayurveda, holistic healthcare, self-care, healthy eating, meditation, stress management, and how to foster a spirit of giving, among others.

Public speaking was new to me, and I had no clue if the audience would be receptive to this. I worked tirelessly for weeks to prepare the talks, spent hours on research, and consulted with leaders in the various fields. It was a huge undertaking. In the beginning, I had no idea what I was doing. I did it anyway, and I’m glad I did.

I was overwhelmed by the positive response when I gave my first talk. My coworkers seemed to be engaged and that felt encouraging. It motivated me for the next two talks, and helped me see that I actually could do my “day job” and simultaneously give back to others. It helped me see that service can be a way of life, the way you carry yourself, and an awareness that you bring to anything you do. I learned that you can help those around you by having a spirit of service and giving in your everyday life. The warm reception and heartfelt gratitude that I got from the talks showed me that people want to connect with each other, and if you put your heart and energy into it, you can do just that.

Through this experience, I gained the confidence to go back to school and study how to be a wellness coach. I would’ve never thought of this prior to completing the Goliath project. I realized that being able to serve those around me was exactly where my heart was and it could no longer be ignored. I am actively studying and focusing on giving back in new ways after completing my Goliath project. David Angelo and the passion he showed in supporting my Goliath pushed me to deal with my inner calling. This experience has been life-changing for me, and as I move forward, I’ll have a road map for overcoming the next challenge.